The present invention generally relates to state indicator devices for indicating the state of recording and the state of the tape, and more particularly to a state indicator device capable of providing an indication that a signal is being recorded onto a traveling tape and a warning indication that a quantity of remaining tape has become less than a predetermined quantity, by use of a single indicator element.
In a conventional video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus which records and/or reproduces a video signal onto and/or from a tape, an indicator device was provided for indicating the state of recording and the state of the tape. This indicator device included two indicator elements, that is, a first indicator element for indicating that the apparatus is in a recording mode, and a second indicator element for indicating that the tape was traveling. However, in such a conventional apparatus, two indicator elements were required, and driving circuits exclusively for the respective indicator elements had to be provided. As a result, considerable space was required for mounting the indicator device, and posed a problem when downsizing the whole apparatus.
In the above conventional indicator device, the second indicator element blinked to indicate that the tape was traveling regardless of whether the recording and/or reproducing apparatus was in the recording mode or the reproducing mode, as long as the tape was traveling. However, when the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is in the reproducing mode and reproduction is being carried out with respect to the traveling tape, it can easily be detected that the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is in the reproducing mode by watching the reproduced picture or listening to the reproduced sound. Accordingly, it is unnecessary for the second indicator element to indicate the tape travel by blinking during the reproducing mode, and it would be rather irritating to the operator if such blinking indication were provided.
Further, in the video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and particularly in a video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus which records an image-picked up video signal from a television camera onto the tape, the apparatus is frequently operated in a manner such that the recording operation is temporarily stopped during the recording and the recording operation is resumed thereafter. It is common to operate the apparatus in this manner when using a portable television camera and recording the picked up video signal onto the tape by a portable recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
When an operation is carried out to temporarily stop the tape travel in order to temporarily stop the recording operation while recording the image-picked up video signal from the television camera related to a certain picture, the tape travel does not stop immediately due to inertia of a tape feeding system. As a result, the tape stops after traveling over a certain distance. Further, when resuming the tape travel so as to resume the recording, it will take a certain time period for the tape traveling speed to reach a predetermined tape travel speed. Accordingly, if the recording is resumed immediately by simply resuming the tape travel from a position where the tape stopped, stable recording cannot be carried out during the initial period of the resumed recording. Thus, if a tape recorded in this manner is reproduced, the servo operation becomes unstable at a joint part of the recording, that is, at the part where the recording is temporarily stopped and then resumed thereafter, and there will be a problem in that the reproduced picture will become distorted. In addition, if the recording is resumed after the tape travel is resumed and the tape travel speed has reached the predetermined tape travel speed, an unrecorded part will be formed on the tape between the previously recorded part and the part which is next recorded, and the reproduced picture will become unsatisfactory for viewing.
In order to prevent such problems from being introduced, it is necessary to automatically rotate a supply reel in a tape take-up direction and rewind the tape by a predetermined quantity before stopping the tape, when temporarily stopping the recording operation. By taking such measures and resuming the recording thereafter, the tape which has been stopped will have reached the predetermined tape travel speed when the recording with respect to the tape is started by heads.
While the tape is rewound after the tape travel is temporarily stopped, and during the initial stage of the resumed recording, the recording is not carried out although the tape travels. However, according to the conventional indicator device, the second indicator element blinks to indicate the tape travel during these intervals although the recording is not being carried out. Such indication of the tape travel during the interval in which the recording is not carried out is meaningless, and the indication need only be provided while the recording is being carried out.
In addition, there conventionally was no useful indicator device having a simple construction, for providing a warning indication that the quantity of remaining tape is small.